The current study examined the effect of Strong Start Grades K–2 (Merrell, Parisi, & Whitcomb, 2007), a social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, among a sample of 24 kindergarten and first grade students identified by their teachers as needing additional support with behavioral and social skills in school. The current study used a quasi-experimental design with within-subjects and between-groups comparisons (Heppner, Kivlighan, & Wampold, 1992) to evaluate the effects of the Strong Start social and emotional learning curriculum. The intervention consisted of staggered curriculum implementation across four classrooms, whereby students were assigned by classroom to either the treatment or waitlist conditions. The classroom teachers implemented the 10 lessons of Strong Start as part of their classroom instruction. Results indicated that Strong Start was implemented with moderate integrity and there were significant within-subject effects for increases in students' emotion knowledge and decreases in students' problem behaviors associated with exposure to the curriculum. However, no significant effects were found between intervention and waitlist groups for increase in emotion knowledge and decreases in problem behaviors. Teachers and students indicated strong user satisfaction and social validity of the Strong Start curriculum. Limitations of this study as well as directions for future research are discussed.

<p> This mixed method study examines teachers' and administrators' perceptions of what contributes to the growth of the students in the educational disabilities subgroup in reading within the context of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) mandated by NCLB in New Hampshire until June, 2013. This study researches effective reading instruction for students identified with reading disabilities, and the factors within a school that support it, that help that group become proficient in reading. Using the New England Common Assessment Program and AYP data as criteria, four schools that had made AYP in 2011 and 2012 were selected. Participants were 68 special education and regular education teachers and five administrators. Data were collected by 15 initial interviews with special educators, administrators, and reading specialists. Fifty-three classroom teachers were then surveyed. QSR NVivo analyzed qualitative data while quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS software. Analysis yielded six key factors: highly trained teachers, high expectations of success, what the district provides both in resources and organization, collaboration/communication, what to do when students don't make progress, and delivery of instruction. The study yielded a list of the most used direct instruction programs, while small group instruction in the classroom or resource room was the preferred method of instructional delivery. A framework for decision-making was suggested, which included core curriculum, programs, time x intensity, progress monitoring, and tuning-up (CPTPT).</p><p> Key Words: reading instruction, students with disabilities, elementary education, Response to Intervention.</p>

<p> Students with language-based learning disabilities (LD) increasingly are placed in inclusive classrooms to ensure they receive access to their grade level curriculum. However, inclusion alone is insufficient for addressing the specific learning challenges of students with language-based LD in general education settings (McLeskey &amp; Waldron, 2011). A need exists for additional strategies to increase on-task behavior and provide greater learning opportunities for students with LD in inclusive classrooms. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to examine the use of a drama intervention, tableau, to increase the on-task behavior of students in inclusive fourth-grade language arts classrooms at two urban elementary charter schools in the Mid Atlantic region. All of the students in the fourth-grade language arts classrooms participated in the tableau intervention, which consisted of students making still images with their bodies to represent a scene or explore a particular moment in a story. Observational data were collected on three students identified with language-based LD. Changes in students' on-task behavior within and across baseline, withdrawal, and tableau phases were examined in an ABAB withdrawal design. Visual analysis was employed to determine if there was a functional relation between tableau and an increase in students' on-task behavior during small group language arts lessons. Descriptive data were collected via audio digital recordings of story recalls to assess the three students' understanding of character traits and sequence of events. </p><p> Results indicated that participants' on-task behavior increased following the introduction of tableau and decreased following the withdrawal of tableau and return to conventional instructional strategies during small group language arts lessons. For all three participants, a functional relation was established between tableau and an increase in on-task behavior through a change in level and stability across phases. All three participants scored higher on the oral story recall assessment of character traits and sequence of events during the tableau intervention phases as compared to the baseline and withdrawal phases. These findings suggested the potential value of using drama interventions to increase the on-task behavior and provide greater learning opportunities for students with LD in inclusive language arts classrooms.</p>

<p> Many students with Down syndrome now receive reading instruction in either inclusion-focused or skill-based instructional settings. There are, however, varied results in the level of reading skills that students with Down syndrome attain. The focus of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the reading skill acquisition of students with Down syndrome between those students placed for reading instruction by grade and those students placed in a developmentally appropriate classroom. The specific type of quantitative research design used was quantitative non-experimental because the study used archival data collected in previous testing for a different evaluation. This study analyzed the Wisconsin Alternate Assessment for Students with Disabilities (WAA-SwD) of 136 elementary school students with Down syndrome. The study compared the reading scores of students with Down syndrome placed for reading instruction in a classroom by chronological age with scores of Down syndrome students placed in an a developmentally appropriate classroom. The research questions related to whether there was a significant difference in reading skills acquisition for elementary school students with Down syndrome after receiving either grade-based or skill-based instruction. The hypotheses were tested using a <i>t</i> test. Based on the analysis, there was no significant difference in reading skills acquisition for elementary school students with Down syndrome when their scores were grouped by the two types of instruction (grade-based versus skill-based) they receive after controlling for the student&rsquo;s demographic characteristic of grade level. The importance of this study can inform the educational community of the specific response to the question of the consequence of placement for reading instruction on reading acquisition. The findings provided from this research study will benefit future studies and classroom planning.</p><p>

<p> The influence of sign language comprehension on reading has been well-documented in elementary, secondary, and postsecondary-aged deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HOH) children and adults. There is limited research into the predictive nature of sign language comprehension on literacy outcomes in D/HOH children in preschool and early elementary school, however. This research addressed this gap by investigating group differences between D/HOH children who primarily communicated through sign language alone and D/HOH children who primarily communicated through sign supported spoken language on measures of American Sign Language (ASL) comprehension, sign supported English (SSE) comprehension, letter/word recognition, and reading comprehension. The relationship between ASL comprehension and SSE comprehension on word identification and reading comprehension was also examined. A longitudinal design was utilized and data analyzed with linear mixed models. Participants were D/HOH children 4-6-years-old at the beginning of the study and followed for two years. </p><p> Children who communicated primarily through sign language alone had significantly higher comprehension of ASL than children who communicated primarily through sign supported spoken language. There were no significant group differences in growth of ASL comprehension, however. There were no significant group differences in comprehension of SSE, letter/word recognition, passage comprehension or growth pattern in these skills. Both ASL comprehension and SSE comprehension predicted letter/word identification and passage comprehension final status whereas only SSE comprehension predicted growth pattern. When word identification was examined in addition to the language predictors, the random effects of the model could not be estimated so statistical inferences for the predictive utility of ASL comprehension on reading comprehension above SSE comprehension and word identification could not be drawn. </p><p> Implications for service delivery in early intervention, progress monitoring of language skills, instruction, and personnel preparation are discussed. Because of the significant variation in language development initial status, further research is recommended into sources of individual variation in language outcomes. Future longitudinal research is needed to examine the age range from early childhood through elementary school, include multiple measures of linguistic competence, and identify the influence of new hearing technology and language experience. Furthermore, intervention studies aimed at improving language development are warranted given its relationship with literacy.</p><p>

This case study documented the process of designing, implementing, and accessing a low-cost, school-based staff development project. The principal objective of the study was to help a group of elementary school teachers serving African-American students seek alternative means of instructing those students not reached through traditional channels. In addition, it sought to expand teaching repertories; build stronger ties between the regular classroom and Chapter I programs; incorporate the tenets of action research in conjunction with sound staff development procedures; and to keep restructuring to a minimum. To facilitate and achieve these aims, the Chapter I curriculum was redesigned and linked to the regular classroom program. This case study also demonstrated a comprehensive collection of school improvement activities. The Chapter I staff, in concert with the classroom teachers, designed, implemented, and evaluated student activity modules. The modules focused on building positive self-image, cultural diversity, congruence, cultural heritage, and cooperative learning. Lessons learned from the activity modules promoted teacher interaction and feedback. In addition, the modules provided the Chapter I staff and teacher participants an avenue for connecting two disparate entities through planned staff development. The project succeeded as a result of the support garnered from administrators, the building principal, auxiliary staff, and community volunteers. Sound staff development processes permitted (1) the involvement of those persons most directly affected by the restructuring, (2) teachers to expand their repertoire of teaching strategies, (3) an increase in the level of optimism and resolve among teachers, administrators, and Chapter I staff, (4) time for teachers to explore new concepts and curriculum, (5) flexibility within the parameters of the project, (6) the undertaking of activities that permitted the linkage of the Chapter I curriculum to the regular classroom program, (7) opportunities for teachers/staff to plan collaboratively, and (8) teachers to grow professionally.

<p> Being able to read proficiently is a critical skill all students must master in order to graduate from high school, pursue postsecondary learning opportunities, and secure employment. English language learners (ELLs) are a group of students at risk for leaving school without becoming proficient readers. Repeated reading has been identified through the literature as a promising approach for remediating reading difficulties for adolescent ELLs with reading difficulties (Denton et al., 2004; 2004; Hawkins et al., 2011; Malloy et al., 2006; Tam et al., 2006; Valleley &amp; Shriver, 2003). Repeated reading been shown to increase students' reading fluency and in turn their comprehension, and vocabulary instruction is considered an essential component of instruction for ELLs. </p><p> The main purpose of this study was to extend the literature and investigate two components of reading intervention for adolescent ELLs with reading difficulties: fluency instruction and vocabulary instruction. Specifically the study examined the following research questions: (1) What is the impact of a repeated reading intervention on the reading fluency, accuracy, and reading comprehension of adolescent ELLs with reading difficulties? (2) What are the additive effects of vocabulary instruction, in conjunction with the repeated reading intervention, on the reading fluency, accuracy, and reading comprehension of adolescent ELLs with reading difficulties? </p><p> <b>Summary of Study Design and Findings</b> A single case ABCBC multi-treatment design was used to investigate effects of repeated reading over no intervention (baseline) and the additive effects of vocabulary instruction for three adolescent ELLs with reading disabilities. The repeated reading intervention phases consisted of adult modeling, error correction, feedback, and practice reading expository passages. The repeated reading + vocabulary instruction phases added direct instruction of six vocabulary words found in the passage. </p><p> Overall findings indicate that ELLs with reading disabilities benefit from repeated reading interventions but respond differentially to the addition of vocabulary instruction.</p>

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2002. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-02, Section: A, page: 0498. Chairperson: Judith Kaufman. Available also in print.